Hull City 1 Coventry City 2
Coventry City manager Micky Adams claimed he knew what he was getting when he signed veteran midfielder Dennis Wise on a free transfer a fortnight ago.
Adams has seen both sides of the 39-year-old's character but never in his wildest dreams could he have expected the old stager to come up with a moment as magic as he did here on Humberside last night.
The Sky Blues had fallen a goal behind in a dismal first half in which they had goal-keeper Marton Fulop - and the woodwork - to thank for keeping the deficit down to just one goal.
But they produced a spirited fight-back in the second period and drew level, as Wise fired his second goal in two games with an acrobatic over-head kick from the edge of the box.
Throughout his illustrious career, he can have scored few better goals than this and he looked as surprised as anyone when he picked himself up and saw the ball rippling the back of the net.
It got even better for City when they claimed all three points thanks to striker Stern John as he hit his fifth goal in seven games, chesting in a cross from Gary McSheffrey.
It was a dramatic turnaround for Adams' team who suffered a case of "after the Lord Mayor's show" in the first half.
The small band of supporters who travelled expected them to carry on where they left off at the weekend, when they gave Premiership side Middlesbrough a run for their money at the Ricoh Arena in the FA Cup.
But they were hopelessly under par and allowed a distinctly average Hull City team to dominate.
The home team saw Coventry were there for the taking and began to pile on the pressure. Robert Page, returning to the side at centre back with a protective mask covering his fractured cheekbone, was standing firm alongside Ady Williams but, just after the half-hour mark, the mounting pressure told.
Page and Williams blocked three efforts in the space of ten seconds but the ball broke kindly for winger Stuart Elliott, who composed himself before rocketing the ball in at the near post.
Wise had already earned himself a caution for an elbow on the goalscorer and, two minutes after falling behind, he could have been given his marching orders as he argued with referee Andy Woolmer, but got off with a talking-to.
Fulop produced two fine saves at the end of the half while midfielder Keith Andrews was denied a stunning goal when his volley from 30 yards rattled the crossbar.
John had been anonymous in the first period as he and Dele Adebola were struggling to see any kind of quality ball but, in the second half both came to life, particularly John whose hold-up play allowed others to get forward. He twisted and turned in the 56th minute to set up McSheffrey, but his shot was stopped by the face of goalkeeper Boaz Myhill.
If that stop owed more to luck than judgment, the exAston Villa man's save from John's header from the resulting corner was world-class and denied City an equaliser.
Undaunted, City grabbed an equaliser just after the hour mark. Richard Duffy failed to find his man with a through-ball but he somehow flicked it up on the edge of the box and there was no other option for Wise other than to try his luck with the overhead kick.
He caught it perfectly and it flew past Myhill into the top corner to the delight of the Coventry fans behind the goal.
The Sky Blues' momentum carried them forward again and they rounded off their best move of the match 11 minutes later with the winning goal. Adebola spread the ball wide to McSheffrey and his cross was laid on a plate for John, who puffed out his chest and knocked it past Myhill from four yards.
An earlier injury to defender Duffy meant there were five minutes of injury time in which City did some hanging on, while Wise had to guard himself from missiles thrown by the Hull fans as Coventry attempted to keep the ball in the corner.
But Adams' side proved resilient and go into the rest of the season looking up, not down.
